Exercises for seminar 5

Hi everyone,

Here are the questions for discussion in today's seminar. Apologies for not posting these questions earlier.

Questions related to Debraj Rays's lecture:

a) Explain briefly the role of convergence and divergence in economic history. (Use Allens book)

b) What is meant by history dependence?

c) According to Esther Boserup, modern gender roles and norms depend on traditional agricultural practices, and specifically, shifting cultivation versus the use of the plough. Using the plough requires greater body strength, favors men:

"Societies characterized by plough agriculture, and the resulting gender-based division of labor, developed the belief that the natural place for women is within the home. These cultural beliefs tend to persist even if the economy moves out of agriculture, affecting the participation of women in activities performed outside the home, such as market employment, entrepreneurship, or participation in politics." Alesina-Giuliano-Nunn (2013)

If we were to tests the hypothesis of Esther Boserup, how should we perform?

I suspect that we will not spend the entire seminar on the questions above, so here are some additional questions for discussion.

1. What is a social pact?

2. What was the main content in the social pacts that several North European countries entered into in the 1930s?

3. In the US what was called the 'New Deal' can be considered a social pact. How can we describe it?

4. Why did not all countries enter into social pacts?

5. To what extent can we say that social pacts changed the historical developments?

6. What is the role of Keynes and Keynsianism for the implementation of social pacts?